Reaffirming the legal and moral obligation of a father to provide for his minor children, a Family Court in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, has directed a man to pay ₹22,000 per month towards the maintenance of his two minor children, regardless of the mother's employment status.

The order, issued on June 30 by the Additional Principal Judge, came in response to a petition filed by the woman, who has been the sole caregiver of her children since separating from her husband in 2020.

The petitioner, a Bachelor of Engineering graduate working in the private sector and earning ₹20,000 per month, sought maintenance for her son and daughter, both minors. The daughter suffers from a heart condition, has already undergone surgery, and requires ongoing treatment. The petition was filed through advocate Raghvendra Singh Raghuvanshi.

The estranged husband, aged 42, is employed as an assistant manager at a reputed pharmaceutical company. Despite his higher income, he had allegedly failed to provide any financial support for his children since the separation.

While ruling on the matter, the court emphasized:

“Maintenance of minor children is the primary and moral responsibility of a father. In the present case, even though the applicant is capable of maintaining herself, the responsibility to maintain the two minors lies with the respondent.”

The court noted that the mother had been solely managing the children's education, healthcare, and daily needs, without any contribution from the father. The daughter’s ongoing medical condition was given particular importance in the court’s reasoning.

Accordingly, the court ordered the father to pay ₹22,000 every month for the upkeep of the children until they attain majority, reinforcing that financial responsibility towards children cannot be waived due to the mother’s earnings.